Any good.... JPS

To all of the above- I think that there are certain assumptions (dangerous, I know) that can be made about individuals that are truly interested in "expensive" high-end products. Namely, they have already learned that buying without listening can be very expensive and unfulfilling. Also, don't believe everything you read, whether it's in a glossy mag or in a forum. If the conversation dealt with components at the cost-effective end of the spectrum, then one could assume that more cautious recommendations be given because the individual asking the question(s) may very well be a less experienced audiophile. I have been at fault at not prefacing every forum response with warnings about buying without listening. To do so would be tedious and, eventually, unproductive as the warnings would be glossed over if they appeared in every response. This is just human nature- get to the good stuff quickly. A bit of a cynical attitude is quite healthy in this hobby/addiction of ours. However, to suggest that an enthusiastic recommendation only comes from an overt act based somehow on personal gain is beyond cynical. If you feel it necessary to offer some cautious words of advice, all who read them will benefit. To respond, as was done here, suggesting that an individual may have some ulterior motive, was more than "heavy handed". Each response by a member must be presumed to have come from personal experience. If you are in doubt, simply asking the individual's point of reference should be sufficient to help clarify the position. To immediately assume that the individual is out to "con" or mislead others for personal gain only because they've recommended a product xyz (rather than your favorite abc component possibly?) serves very little purpose. Again, I resoundingly agree with the recommendation to listen to any product before you buy. I agree that a bit of skepticism is wise and even healthy in this hobby. Let your own ears be the final judge! At the same time, lets maintain a civil, if not friendly, discourse even when we may disagree. Just my .02

Mr. Samuel- As you will note, I did NOT intend to single you out in my previous response as you weren't the only participant on this thread. It was the general tenor of the responses that caused my retort. If I read more into the comments than intended, I will apologize. However, since you did respond to my general criticism, I will offer specifically what I found disturbing. First, you were the one who claimed that there was "covert promotion" occurring at this site. Your general style of questions in the next response ended with an accusatory sentence that I could not help but infer that you believed that the person in question, Brulee, might have some other than honest reason to recommend a particular product. This suggestion was then furthered by a subsequent respondent. As I'm sure that you can understand, this type of -shall I use a word as strong as ATTACK- of another's character based solely on supposition is quite distasteful - as you obviously found my non-specific reference to "product abc?". This was a completely non-specific comment and I regret that you found it to be so personal. In contrast, imagine what Brulee, and anyone else reading this thread, might have inferred from the very personal insinuation levied in the thread. Again, if I read too much into the responses or insulted you personally, I do apologize.